The Department of Foreign Affairs tonight quietly announced through a press release that the Philippines was recently elected vice president of the United Nations Human Rights Council, even amid the government’s reputation of demonizing, jailing, falsely accusing, and killing dissenters.

This is a most cruel joke from the UNHRC and the Arroyo government. The UNHRC should have set aside the Philippine nomination, while the Philippines should have had the decency to improve first the human rights record before running for such a post.

By now, it is pure baloney for rah-rah boys and girls to (again) claim that the Philippine government’s election as UNHRC vice president will put the Arroyo regime in a better position to be probed and influenced, but that was also the consuelo de bobo argument on the country’s election as a UNHRC member. It is only safe to assume that the Arroyo regime will use the post for PR purposes, to airbrush and deodorize its record which oozes with the rotting bodies of over 900 victims of extrajudicial killings.

What’s next? A Nobel Peace Prize for President Arroyo?

Full text of the DFA press release on the government’s election to the vice presidency follows:

PHILIPPINES ELECTED VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

25 June 2008 – The Philippines was elected Vice-President of the United Nations Human Rights Council on 19 June in Geneva, demonstrating the confidence of the international community in the Philippines as an active and constructive member of the United Nations committed to the promotion and protection of human rights.

Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva Erlinda F. Basilio was elected by the members of the premier international human rights body by acclamation to serve as Vice-President representing the Asian Group of states. The Philippines, through the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the United Nations in Geneva, shall serve a one-year term as Vice-President. Amb. Basilio is the first woman Vice-President of the UN Human Rights Council which was established in 2006.

Election as Vice-President capped off a busy second-year term for the Philippine Government in the Human Rights Council.

This year, the Philippines successfully presented its comprehensive response to the final report of Prof. Alston, and was one of the first countries to undergo the new Universal Periodic Review mechanism of the Human Rights Council (a holistic review and assessment of all countries’ human rights obligations). The Philippines likewise presented a periodic report on implementation of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

In March 2008, Foreign Secretary Alberto G. Romulo reiterated the Philippine Government’s strong commitment to uphold human rights and democratic governance at the High-Level Segment of the Human Rights Council.

In the spirit of this commitment, and in the desire to promote genuine international dialogue and cooperation on human rights issues, the Philippines shall do its utmost to serve effectively as Vice-President of the Human Rights Council.

Despite consistent moves by some groups to politicize the human rights situation in the country, the Philippines is deeply honored by the vote of confidence of the international community in its active role in the Human Rights Council.

During the Human Rights Council session the Philippines partnered with Germany to introduce a resolution to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons especially in women and children. The resolution received co-sponsorship of 79 countries and was adopted unanimously by the Council.

The Philippines also co-sponsored the resolution on extreme poverty introduced by France which renewed the mandate of the independent expert on extreme poverty. The resolution was co-sponsored by 72 other countries and was adopted unanimously by the Council. END